Demon of Winter
by Armageddon Angel
Summary: In a certain kingdom, the people believe that to bring about a short winter, a maiden of 17 must be sacrificed to the Demon of Winter. To bring a long summer, one must sacrifice another maiden to the God of Summer. An orphaned Juvia is chosen to be sacrificed to the Demon of Winter.


**Hello boys and girls, I'd like to tell a story.**

**So I was involved in the Nalu/Gruvia Big Bang event, where writers and artists teamed up to create more Fairy Tail goodness for the fans. This is my contribution. I've had this story in the back of my mind and, as I was writing this, I realized that this would have been better served as a multi-chapter fic. Oh well. Done is done. This is rather long so expect this to be 9.2k words.**

**The cover art is from locjuvia499 on tumblr. Her art is amazing and I would highly suggest you visit her page.**

**Anyways, please enjoy this story.**

* * *

**Demon of Winter**

Today's a special day in Atramixia. It's so crowded, one would believe that everyone in the continent is here. Unsurprisingly, Auswählen does bring many people. Juvia isn't from Atramixia but from the village of Lockser. Her woolen one-piece brown tunic and pants have many stains and tears. She has no shoes either. Her only shot of color is a blue woolen hat that she found, kept as pristine as possible.

Juvia and other teenage girls from Lockser are under imperial guard, escorted to their destination. The azurette tugs at a bracelet on her right arm, carved with her name. On any other day, this bracelet wouldn't mean anything…except during Auswählen.

"This is Juvia's last year for Auswählen," she murmurs to herself. But does it matter? There's nothing waiting for her. There aren't that many prospects for a seventeen-year-old orphan. At best, she could work as a seamstress with no chance for upward mobility. At worst….

A loud, clanging bell announces that Auswählen is about to begin. Juvia takes a deep breath and heads towards the lofty cathedral with the rest of her village's girls. _

Fotiapagos Cathedral is rather large and imposing as always, spires scraping the sky, stained glass windows everywhere. Her first time seeing it, she was awestruck that people could build such a structure. Now, she doesn't care for it. It reminds her of what is to come. Her group is led by the stairs to the Cathedral and another guard tells them form a single line. When Juvia arrives at the front, she sees a man holding a large urn. She removes her bracelet and puts it in, stepping out of line.

Apparently, Juvia's village girls are the last arrivals because the bells clang again. The azurette looks around. She hears the din of teenage girls, dreading the ritual. Two girls' lives will be over. Such is Auswählen.

The crowd's roar softens as a bearded old man in a yellow cloak walks out of the Cathedral, accompanied by two young women. One of them is a blonde with her hair tied in an ornate bun, about as tall as Juvia, wearing a white dress with a sun emblazoned across the chest. The other is somewhat smaller, with wild light-blue hair, wearing a black dress with a white skull across her chest. Juvia knows what those two girls are. The blonde is the god of summer's selector while the blue-haired girl is the demon of winter's selector. Neither look happy to be there. The old man holds up his hands, calling for silence.

"Daughters, I welcome you to Fotiapagos." His voice is strong. "Our harvest has been bountiful. Let us give thanks to our god for his bounty."

Juvia watches as the people around her bow their heads. She does not. After all, there were many days she starved. Where was the god then?

"It is by god's grace that we have food to eat, sons strong and virile, and daughters dutiful and fertile. For this, we must present an offering to our god, a daughter, virtuous and beautiful, to become sublime and intercede on our behalf so that summer shall last forever. She shall forever be remembered in our prayers."

Juvia snorts softly. It's an honor to become a sacrifice to god, they say. As if these girls have a choice.

"But now, the demon of winter stalks through the land," the old man continues. "He brings death and devastation. For this purpose, we must send our sacrificial lamb so our winter may be brief." The old man pauses. "So that our suffering is brief and our happiness bountiful, let us now begin Auswählen, the Holy Selection." The crowd cheers raucously as he lifts the urn with the girls' bracelets. After shaking it, he sets it down.

"Demon of winter, take only what you are due." He pauses. "The sacrifice that we give unto you, take it. Do what you will. But stay your hand and make your icy wrath brief. Now choose among our girls."

The girl with the skull dress steps forward and reaches into the urn, pulling out a bracelet.

"Juvia of Lockser," she announces.

Shock and panic washes over Juvia until bubbling over into acceptance. She has been chosen and, honestly, she's relieved. Now she doesn't have to worry about what will happen after Auswählen. She'll never worry about hunger, homelessness, work, getting married, nothing. Her life isn't hers anymore.

In previous Auswählen, the girls chosen had to be dragged kicking and screaming. Juvia wouldn't be like those girls. If she was going die anyways, she would face it with dignity. She walks to the top of the stairs under her own power and stands before the old man.

"Are you Juvia of Lockser," he asks.

"Yes."

After examining her, making Juvia feel uncomfortable, the old man turns to the crowd.

"Juvia of Lockser, let all who know her speak her name no more." His voice whips the crowd into a fervor. "Let the demon consume her until nothing is left so that he may be sated and trouble us none."

It is different to be in the sacrifice's position, Juvia realizes. She wants to cry but she won't give the crowd the satisfaction.

After he was done, the old man turned to the blonde girl. "O god of summer, take your pick of one of our girls. May she intercede on our behalf that you may bless us with your bounty. Now choose among our girls."

The blonde steps forward and reaches into the urn, pulling a bracelet. It slips out of her hands. she mutters an apology before bending down to get it. Something falls out of the girl's dress and she grasps at it. Perhaps it is Juvia's imagination, but she thinks she sees the blonde girl stepping on something.

"Lucy of the House Heartfilia."

Silence. Juvia vaguely knows of the name Heartfilia. From the shock on everyone's faces, this Lucy girl must be a big deal.

"Are you sure," the old man asks, trepidation in his voice. "Is that what it says on the bracelet?"

Juvia swears that the blonde girl smirks at him and hands him the bracelet. A look of horror crosses the old man's face.

"We can choose a new candidate." Juvia can see the old man sweating profusely. There has never been a time Juvia could remember that a different candidate was chosen if the first one wasn't suitable.

"Are you saying that our god has chosen wrong?" The blonde's question hangs in the air like an unsheathed sword.

The old man puckers his lips. "Lucy of the House Heartfilia, blessed be you among all girls. May our god cherish your sacrifice and make you sublime. Intercede on our behalf and grant us the bounty of our god."

During previous Auswählen, the sacrifice for the god received a boisterous cheer. After all, it was an honored position. Not this time.

"This concludes Auswählen." He says, deflated. "Please join us for the feast so that we may send our daughters to their destinies."

The old man turns to Juvia. "Come with me."

She nods. The blonde girl catches the corner of Juvia's eye by kicking something to the other girl. Juvia is curious but the old man's hand is on her shoulder and impolitely pushes her inside the cathedral. The blonde and azurette follow close behind.

Juvia has never been inside before and is impressed at what she sees. Stain glass windows depicting scenes, perhaps concerning the god of summer or the demon of winter. Juvia didn't know. She was never really invested in the lore of Auswählen. While she admired the designs, the old man is pleading with the blonde about something, Juvia can't quite hear. The blonde shakes her head and continues deeper into the cathedral. It is dawning on Juvia that whatever happened during Auswählen must concern these two girls. They reach an alcove in one of the corners of the cathedral that lead to a back area. There, several older women stand at attention, seemingly waiting for them.

"Who is the sacrifice for the demon of winter," the oldest looking of the women asks. Her wrinkles crease into a face that says "_I want this done quickly_". Juvia steps forward without prompting and presents herself. "Are you scared?"

"Should Juvia be?"

"Not as of yet." The old woman makes motions and one group of women ushers Juvia into a door before the azurette can grab her bearings.

They lead her into a bathing area and remove Juvia's clothes. Before she can feel embarrassed and cover herself, they submerge her into a hot bath smelling of roses. The water feels so good, like a sleep on a feather mattress. One woman grabs a horsehair brush with sweet-smelling oils and scrub the azurette very roughly, as if she is trying to peel off her skin. Another woman scrubs her hair and scalp, putting more oils in it. This makes it feel like she's a new woman, momentarily forgetting this will be her last bath.

Her bath done, the women dry her with fresh linens. At this point, she isn't embarrassed by her nakedness. They dress her, but not with her old outfit. Oh no, she is given an entirely new dress, a blue dress deep as midnight over a lime-green bodice. Her hair is brushed straight as best as it can be but the tips still curl. Over her hair is placed a shawl dyed black and new shoes are placed on her feet.

"A diamond in the rough," one of the women huffs. "How unfortunate it will be wasted on the demon."

A tear escapes from her eye. Why? It's not like she would have had a life if she hadn't been chosen.

The women lead her back to the main hall where the Lucy girl is holding the other blue-haired girl in her arms, the latter is crying profusely. The blonde seems to be comforting her by running a hand through her hair. It looks like they are good friends.

Lucy smiles at her then turns towards Juvia. This is when she notices that Lucy has changed clothes. Her dress of the purest white, unsurprising for being god's sacrifice. Underneath the dress, she sees a red bodice that reminds her of a flame. Along the neckline and the sleeve openings are multiple small rubies that flicker in the light. Her hair is adorned with an orange Grecian band, making her blonde hair more flame-like.

"My apologies for keeping you waiting. Please follow me." She smiles and motions Juvia to follow her. "How old are you," Lucy asks. Her voice is kind enough.

"Seventeen." Juvia's answer is simple, just like Juvia herself.

Lucy smiles sadly. "So this would have been your last year before you would have been free from Auswählen."

"It's not like there was something waiting for Juvia after Auswählen." Her response is more bitter than intended.

Lucy bows her head. "I'm sorry."

An awkward silence follows as Lucy leads Juvia to the backend of the Cathedral. There is a door that leads outside. Juvia is stunned to see a couple hundred people crowded around two long tables. They were filled with foods that the azurette has never seen before. It all looks delicious, making Juvia's stomach growl loudly. At this point, she doesn't even feel embarrassed.

She hears a familiar voice call for silence. It's the old man again, the one who was running Auswählen..

"Greetings to the sacrifices of the demon and god," the old man announces, mostly talking to the people around him than to Juvia or Lucy. "Partake in this meal, the best of our harvest, so that you may have the strength to carry out your duties."

Juvia eyes Lucy who sits at an open space at one of the tables, the one emblazoned with a sun at its center. She realizes that they will be segregated by their respective role. So Juvia finds the empty seat at the table emblazoned with a skull. There, she is offered lots of food and begins to eat. No one speaks to her, which is fine as it was more hungry than chatty. She hasn't eaten her fill in some time and part of her wants to keep some for tomorrow. _There will be no tomorrow, Juvia._

As Juvia munches on a heel of bread, people start clearing her table. She feels a hand on her shoulder. When she turns around, she sees Lucy, her brown eyes swimming with sadness.

"It's time."

Those two words hit Juvia like a sledgehammer.

Juvia numbly gets up from her chair and follows Lucy back into the cathedral. A question is burning in her mind about the Heartfilia girl.

"You switched places with the other girl, the one with the skull dress." Juvia has to know before her time was up.

Lucy's eyes widened. Juvia knows that this was not a question she was expecting. "You saw. I'm surprised. I thought I was more inconspicuous."

"You dropped that girl's bracelet and covered it with your foot. Then you dropped your own and grabbed it in place of hers. Why would you take her place?"

Lucy sighs softly. "She's my friend, my best friend. Wouldn't you do anything to save your friend?"

"Juvia doesn't know. She's never had any friends or family."

Lucy makes a pained noise. "I'm sorry."

Juvia feels like she's being insensitive. After all, Lucy is giving up more than Juvia has ever had to take her friend's place. Still, she needs to know. "But why did you have to drop your bracelet to get your name called? Wouldn't your bracelet be inside the urn as well?"

"Girls like me never have their names chosen for Auswählen." Lucy misses the shocked look on Juvia's face and continues. "Auswählen is designed to look dispassionate and fair when it comes to sacrifices. But it isn't. Girls like me don't put their bracelet into the urn."

Juvia understands why everything stopped when Lucy read out her own name.

"I was supposed to be married to some guy my parents chose for me," she continues. "But that's not what I want. When I saw Levy-chan's name, I saw my opportunity to save her and free myself. I'd like to think that I would have done it for anyone but…"

Juvia thinks she understands the sentiment.

The two reach the front doors of the cathedral and are about to open them when Lucy turns to Juvia one more time.

"No one will tell you this but they will take you to the forbidden lands. Somewhere, there is an ice palace where the demon resides near a lake. Be careful. It is filled with wild animals."

Juvia nods, grateful for the information. "And what about you?"

Lucy doesn't say anything. Instead, she opens the door. Juvia sees two horse-drawn carriages with covered wagons of food attached to them, offerings to the god and the demon. Two men exit one of the carriages and walks to her. They make gestures towards their carriage and Juvia understands that she is to go with them. They help her into the carriage and she takes her seat, watching Lucy hug her blue-haired friend and get into the other carriage.

Juvia sees the old man come out of the cathedral. He is then followed by what seems to be every person in the world spilling out the building with him. "Bear witness to our sacrifices, people of Atramixia," the old man declares. "Juvia of Lockser, begone from our sight and sate the demon's hunger. Lucy of the House Heartfilia, intercede on our behalf to our god."

The carriage juts forward, taking Juvia to her destination and her destiny.

The azurette sighs and sits back. The two men driving her refuse to speak to her. Instead, they converse with each other about what their plans were after leaving Juvia and how it would take three days to get there. Juvia heard stories about the forbidden lands when she was young. There are no villages near the forbidden lands. The demon lives there and it's said that anyone who gets close is killed.

They reach their destination on the third sunset, two wooden palisades as far as her eye can see with an opening for their carriage and a door with a heavy wooden latch to lock it. One of the men unhooks the wagon from the carriage. The other opens the carriage door and helps Juvia out without speaking. It is somewhat unnerving but she doesn't care. After all, who talks to a dead woman.

The two men then lift the latch and unlock the door. Juvia watches them push the wagon into the door and through to the other side. After they finish, they turn to her and draw swords on her, wheeling to her back. Juvia is stunned but realizes that previous sacrifices must have tried to escape. The azurette wouldn't fight back. After all, what was there to fight for? With as much dignity as she could muster, she saunters towards the wooden door and passes the threshold. The two men close the door behind her and reapply the heavy wooden latch. With a loud thud, Juvia knows that her life is done. Now that the sun's set, Juvia decides to climb into the wagon to sleep. For anyone else, this would be a scary prospect; for Juvia, who has rarely had a roof over her head, this was nothing. The ambient sounds of nature along with the day's exhaustion put her to sleep.

* * *

The sun beating her face causes her to wake up. She eats a heel of bread and an apple and gets out of the wagon to begin her trek for the ice palace.

"This quiet is eerie," Juvia mutters to no one. The stillness feels so unnatural. She hears no birds chirping, no rustling bushes. Nothing. The land is empty save for a few trees and bushes. For the first time since being chosen, she feels afraid.

Juvia moves forward, directionless. Every step feels heavy. Still, she presses forward. As the sun reaches its highest point, Juvia finds the lake Lucy in their last conversation.

"It's beautiful," she gasps. The lake is almost crystalline. She kneels down and takes a drink of the lake, quenching her thirst and giving her the strength to continue.

Juvia feels a chill as the sun sets. Not the chill of night, this was something different, unnatural. She feels like she is close to the ice palace.

And she finds it.

The palace is straight out of a terrifying fairy tale. Large, imposing spires cut through the sky, an enormous ice double door, carved crooked windows, and the chill, the chill is the worst. If ever there was a cursed place, it's this.

The double doors open. Juvia feels an unseen force beckoning her inside. The first thing she realizes is that the palace isn't as cold as she thinks it should be. There are torches hanging along the walls, illuminating the foyer and revealing stairs that probably lead to a main hall. Juvia glances around and see various animals, carved in ice. The attention to detail is amazing but she doesn't dwell much on it. Instead, she continues onward. More goosepimples appear on her skin the further she goes.

Climbing the stairs makes Juvia's heart beat faster. Instinctively, she knows she will soon be face to face with the demon. Still, she stills her breathing and moves forward.

"Are you my new sacrifice?" A booming voice stops her cold.

In the dancing torchlight, Juvia can make out a figure sitting on what appears to be an ice throne.

"Step forward." It's a command, not a request.

Juvia does so and the figure comes into focus. Nothing could prepare her for what she sees.

It's a man.

"Are you my sacrifice," the man asks in the same voice from before. "What is your name?"

"Juvia of Lockser," she replies in a stunned voice.

She takes measure of this man. He is wearing a dark overcoat and no undershirt, revealing a toned figure underneath. His black hair is slicked upward with one forelock across his right eye. His pants are white with black, leather straps around it. Perhaps the most disturbing thing about him is that his right hand is completely black. She can also see blackness on the right side of his body jutting out in no discernable pattern and coming to his right eye like a spear point. Honestly, the man before her is not what she expected from the demon. She was expecting something more… monstrous. But, with the exception of the blackness, he could pass for a normal man.

"It's been some time since one from the daughters of men arrived in my palace."

"Are you the demon of winter," she asks when she gathers her voice.

The man chuckles. "I have been called that."

"Should Juvia call you something else?"

The demon looks thoughtful, scratching his chin with his blackened hand. "Gray Fullbuster."

"Gray…sama." The words are foreign in her mouth but feel right.

Gray barks out a laugh and rises from his throne, ambling towards her. Juvia stiffens as he comes closer until they are standing face to face. The demon lifts Juvia's head up with his index finger and the two lock eyes. _His eyes are black as pitch_, Juvia thinks to herself, _and yet I want to drown in it_. His eyes roam across her body.

Gray steps back and returns to his throne. No words are spoken. Juvia feels oddly deflated. Silence reigns again.

"Do you have a family?" The demon asks her, not sure if the question is considerate or malicious.

"Juvia doesn't."

The demon looks amused. He puts his hands together. Juvia can see swirling blue light around them and, like magic, a lance made of ice appears in his hand. He launches it at her feet, cracking the ground.

"So no one will miss you if you were to die?"

Juvia is visibly frightened. She can't speak. Instead, she shakes her head.

"I see." A pause, then. "Do as you will in my palace. I shall go and grab your food offerings."

Juvia is stunned. She watches as the demon leaves his throne and walks past her. The azurette hears the double door open and shut. She doesn't move for several minutes, unsure of what is going to happen next.

Curious, she reaches forth to grab the ice lance. It is cold to the touch.

"He created it like magic." Her murmurs echo in the empty throne room. "He could have killed me with it." That thought hangs in the air. "Why didn't he? And why did he leave me alone in his palace?" Juvia was led to believe that the demon was an all-consuming beast. But he didn't do anything to her. "Yet," she thinks to herself.

Juvia stands in the same spot for several minutes, too afraid to move. Suddenly, she hears the shuffling of feet. It didn't sound like Gray-sama's confident seps. Rather, it sounds unsure. Juvia turns towards the sound and sees a bent-over old woman. Juvia couldn't believe what she is seeing.

"Ahh," the old woman sighs. "You are the new sacrifice." It's a statement of fact, emotionless.

Juvia's still stunned at what, or rather, she sees. "Who are you?"

The old lady smiles. "I am Urtear."

A question formulates on the tip of Juvia's tongue. "Are you…"

Urtear continues smiling. "I am human, if that is your question. Many moons ago, I was chosen as the sacrifice."

Juvia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "But…you're still alive?" It's a question, not a statement.

"I am." She turns around and motions with her head for Juvia to follow her into a corridor outside of the throne room.

The azurette catches up to her and follows the slow steps of Urtear. "But I thought…." Juvia doesn't get to finish that thought.

"If you live long enough, you will learn that many preconceptions about the demon aren't true."

Urtear takes her to a room and opens the door. It is bare except for a bed, something Juvia didn't expect. The frame is made out of wood. She hesitantly walks up to feel the mattress and it is as soft as a cloud.

"This will be your room," Urtear tells her and closes the door behind her.

Juvia is confused. She didn't expect hospitality. Is she being lulled into a false sense of security? Juvia doesn't know what to expect. The fact there is at least one other person here further muddles the issue. Juvia decides to sleep on this.

* * *

Juvia wakes up to an all too familiar hunger before remembering that she is nowhere near her village. She's in Gray-sama's ice palace. Day two being in the forbidden lands and she's still alive. Was he going to kill her? Was he toying with her? Juvia decides to find something to occupy her time instead of worrying about it. Gray-sama did say that she was free to do as she pleases in his palace. Juvia is skeptical but curiosity overrides caution and she leaves her room to explore.

The first thing Juvia realizes is that Urtear and herself are not the only humans in the palace. There is a smattering of other women of various ages. Juvia counts six as she explores the labyrinthine palace.

A thought comes to her. She wants to find that lake again. Juvia hopes the demon doesn't mind.

Juvia finds it quicker today and it's just as beautiful as yesterday. Juvia kneels down and puts her hand in the water. It is briskly cold. Juvia undoes her dress leaving herself in the bodice and linens. She wants to dive into the lake but refrains, perhaps because she didn't want to ruin the lake with her grungy body. Instead, she scoops some water on her exposed skin to rub off the grime she felt. Her dress has also gotten dirty since Auswählen. Cupping water, she places it on the dirty parts to clean it. It is such a nice dress; it'd be a waste if it wasn't clean so she scrubs it as best she can and puts it back on.

"You are out of the palace," a deep timbre calls out to her.

Juvia stiffens, turning around to see Gray. She notices his state of attire. The overcoat he was dressed in yesterday is tied around his waist, revealing his naked, well-built chest. Juvia also sees that most of the right side of his body is covered in that blackness. His body is glistening in sweat and there's a fattened wooly animal behind him, not moving.

"Juvia's sorry." Her eyes are downcast. "She didn't know she wasn't allowed outside."

"I never said you weren't," he shrugs. "Go where you please."

Juvia bows deeply. She still doesn't understand what her role is. Maybe she should just ask.

While in her thoughts, Gray-sama moves past her, kneels, and dunks himself head first into the lake. He gets up a moment later, hair matted down in water, droplets sliding down his naked chest. Juvia's eyes widen and her cheeks get hot. He either didn't noticed or, if he did, didn't say anything.

"I made this lake years ago," he tells her matter-of-factly. "To this day, it remains the coldest lake in my lands."

Juvia looks horrified. "This is your lake?" Her voice comes out as a squeak. "Juvia is sorry. She will never use it again."

The demon rolls his eyes. "I said before, you are free to do as you please."

"But Juvia is supposed to be your sacrifice." The words leave her mouth before her brain registers. The silence that follows is palpable.

Gray smirks at her, tilting her chin up with his fingers like before.

"Do you wish to die?"

The question hangs in the air like a chill. Juvia looks deep into his pitch-black eyes. Maybe it's because of his intense stare, maybe because of the droplets still running down his face. Whatever it was, it makes Juvia blush deeply.

"I could do it, you know." His timbre makes Juvia shiver despite herself. "I can make a knife and slit your throat now. Do you want me to?

Juvia is frightened. "Juvia doesn't want to die."

Gray removes his fingers from her chin. "Very well."

The tension deflates as Gray turns around and hoists the animal on his shoulders, heading towards his palace.

"Do as you will, Juvia," he says, walking away.

Juvia feels her legs collapse and she crumples like a felled tree. The encounter leaves her more confused. There was never a plan for her after Auswählen. She probably would have died of starvation. It's a kindness compared to what usually happens to orphans like her.

After sundown, Juvia is summoned by Gray to his dining room, a large hall mostly empty save for mismatched wooden chairs around a polished table. The demon sits at the head of the table. One woman brings out a steaming chunk of meat, obviously the animal he had killed today. Another set plates and a third cups to fill with wine. Watching them work is making Juvia uncomfortable, like she needs to do something.

"Can Juvia help with something?" Her voice is earnest.

Gray motions at her to sit on his right.

Juvia obeys. Urtear serves Gray the prime cut of meat, some vegetables, and a loaf of bread. She next serves Juvia and the other women, all in silence. Everyone digs in, leaving Juvia stunned. An outsider could have seen this as Juvia being a guest of honor if it wasn't for the silence or the fact that Gray could kill her instantly.

As she eats, Juvia feels a sense of uselessness. Everyone in Gray-sama's palace seems to have a role except for her. Gray-sama said to do as she pleased but what did that even mean?

"Gray-sama."

Everyone stops eating and Juvia gets nervous. Was dinnertime not to be interrupted? Was it a faux pas to call the demon by his name?"

"Yes?" His tone is light, non-threatening.

"Is there something Juvia can do to help around here?"

She puts the question out there. Maybe now, she can have some direction.

"Like I tell everyone here. Do as you will." Juvia thinks she hears amusement and annoyance in his voice. "Just do what you would have done if you weren't chosen."

If that wasn't a loaded statement….

Juvia would be scraping to survive if she wasn't chosen.

"What was your job before Auswählen," Gray queries.

"Survival." Her voice is pitifully small.

Gray pins her with his stare. Juvia can't identify the emotion in his look.

"What would you like to do?" There's no judgment attached to his question.

"Juvia would like to sew?" It's a question, afraid that this wouldn't be acceptable.

"Then sew." He turns to Urtear. "Give her the wool from the ram we ate."

"As you command."

Juvia is grateful for something to do and returns to eating.

Urtear would give her the wool after supper and sewing needles. Juvia has to admit that she only knows the basics. But she has time now.

* * *

The next day, she leaves the palace and heads towards the lake. It takes her some time to remember how to stitch. Juvia feels she's getting the hang of things when she hears thunder in the air, causing her to drop her wool.

Juvia looks up and notices something large covering the sun. The silhouette is that of a large, winged horse that is descending towards the lake. As it gets closer, she realizes that it isn't a horse but a blue winged cat and it's landing right next to her.

She's so stunned by this creature that she doesn't register the chill next to her.

"Natsu," Gray grouses.

Juvia jumps when she realizes that Gray is at her side.

"N-Natsu?" Juvia wants to press him further. However, a figure jumps off the giant winged cat.

The figure is a human-shaped male, dressed in a white coat with red and orange circles along its bottom, looking like scales. He is also wearing pants of the same design and black open-toed sandals. But what draws Juvia's attention is his hair; he has pink hair, a color she has never seen on anyone.

The pink-haired man looks up at where he was and yells out something. She watches as a more feminine figure slowly climbs down the cat, only to lose her grip and drop, saved from hitting the ground by the male. He puts her right-side up and walks towards Gray. The temperature around Gray drops significantly, causing the azurette to shiver.

"So, this is your sacrifice for the year," the pink-haired man asks Gray, locking eyes with Juvia.

"Why do you care," Gray snipes back.

The pink-haired man ignores the insult. "What is your name?" He accentuates his question with a smile.

Juvia realizes that the question is directed at her. "Juvia of Lockser."

"Well, you can call me Natsu Dragneel," he smiles again. He turns his head towards the feminine figure making her way towards them. "And this is …"

Before he could say her name, Juvia recognizes who she is. "Lucy?"

Indeed, it is Lucy, smiling at Juvia. Hers is a face she never expected to see again.

"Yeah, her name is Lucy," Natsu laughs. "How did you know?"

Juvia doesn't understand what is happening. "But she was sacrificed to the god of summer. Does that mean…"

Natsu chuckles. "Your people call me the god of summer but I'm just me." He takes another step towards Juvia only to meet with Gray's fist in his stomach.

"Leave my lands, squinty-eyes," Gray-sama growls.

"You wanna go, droopy-eyes," Natsu growls back and throws his own punch at Gray's face.

The two fight each other, Gray using his ice and Natsu breathing fire. Juvia can hardly believe what she is seeing. The demon of winter and the god of summer are fighting. This doesn't look like a climatic clash of good versus evil. If anything, they look like two boys roughhousing.

"I'm glad you were able to find the ice palace," Lucy smiles. Juvia, turns away from the fight, happy to see another familiar face.

The azurette bows gratefully. "Thank you for telling me about Gray-sama's palace. But Juvia is confused. She really thought she was going to be killed."

Lucy nods as she watches the fight. "I thought the same thing too. It seems as though our preconceptions of Auswählen were wrong."

Juvia is thoughtful. "How is it living there," she asks.

Lucy smiles. "Natsu's a bit of a goof but is very kind. He always has a way of making me laugh with his stories. Even though I've only been with him a week or so, Natsu has given me a freedom I've never had. To him, I am not the heiress of the Heartfilia family fortune. I am just Lucy."

The azurette can't help but smile. She is happy Lucy is happy. But there is something she needs to know. "He called you his consort," Juvia points out.

Lucy's face sports a brilliant blush.

"Are you and he…" Juvia trails off, expecting Lucy to finish. She never gets the chance because a bout of wind from Gray-sama and Natsu's clash knocks both girls of their feet.

Juvia and Lucy see both guys out of breath, bruised but not worse for wear.

"I'll kick your ass the next time," Natsu huffs. "Com'n Lucy." The god grabs Lucy's hand and helps her up the cat. It may be Juvia's imagination but she sees something in Natsu's eyes when he looks at Lucy, like she was the goddess and he the supplicant. Natsu jumps into the air and lands next to her. The winged cat beats its wings and lifts both of them into the air. They fly further from Juvia's vision until they are gone.

She turns to Gray who is collapsed near the lake, out of breath. Juvia takes the wool she was sewing and dunks it into the water, wetting it. Juvia leans over and rubs it over his bruises, wincing at his grunts of pain.

"Sorry," she apologizes.

"You don't have to do thishss," he hisses as she rubs a particularly sore spot on his forearm where Natsu got him good.

"But I want to."

"Why?" A simple question with a loaded answer.

Juvia is silent as she grabs more wool, dunks it into the lake and rubs another bruise. "You are the first person who was nice for me."

Gray's eyes widen.

"You took me in when you didn't have to." She rubs another of his bruises. "You fed me and gave me this wool."

"Small kindnesses are all you need to aid the demon who has threatened to kill you?" He scoffs at this logic. "What ridiculousness."

Juvia doesn't say anything else. She patches up his bruises as best she can.

"Is Gray-sama hurt?" Her tone is sincere.

"Unfortunately for you, I won't die from such injuries. Believe me. I've tried."

Juvia doesn't get to ask what he means by that as he gets up and stretches. "We will be having quail for supper."

Juvia gets up as well and follows Gray back into the palace.

* * *

Gray-sama returns the wool Juvia used to bandage his injuries the next day. Juvia takes it and tries to sew with it again by the lake. The azurette is confused. Juvia was expecting to die after Auswählen. But then she met Urtear and the other women in Gray's palace. Gray didn't mistreat or even raise his voice at them. And seeing Lucy again yesterday with the god? If Auswählen isn't about killing two girls for a short winter and long summer, what is the point?

Moreover, why is Gray called the demon of winter? Sure, he can control ice. But Natsu can control fire and he is worshipped. If Gray wanted to kill people, there isn't much anyone can do to stop him. It doesn't make sense.

Juvia is so focused on her thoughts that she stabs her thumb and yelps in surprise. Immediately, she sucks it to stem the bleeding.

"Juvia wonders if Gray-sama bleeds," she mumbles with her thumb in her mouth, only taking it out when she can no longer taste copper on her tongue. Examining her wound, she realizes that it's nothing serious but decides to put it in the lake anyways.

Juvia loves this lake. Gray-sama really did a good job creating it. The autumn sun is hitting it just right, creating a kaleidoscopic effect. It is her favorite place.

A chill runs down her spine. She is starting to realize that this means Gray is near her. "Gray-sama," her cheery voice calls to him without turning around.

"I'm impressed you can sense me now." He is amused as he walks towards her.

"I can feel your chill." She turns around and sees he's dragging another wooly ram.

"I will shear off its wool and give it to you," the demon says.

"Thank you, Gray-sama." It's only a bundle of wool but it means the world to Juvia.

"It's the least I can do after I ruined your wool the other day."

Juvia gets the feeling that he is being nice to her specifically. Gray-sama is somewhat indifferent to other women in the ice palace but especially attentive to her. She's always sitting at his side and seems to be the only one he speaks to if he isn't giving commands. He visits her by the lake with the day's meal. She can't understand why.

"May Juvia ask Gray-sama a question?" She watches him nod his assent. "Why is Gray-sama being nice to Juvia?"

It's now out in the open.

Gray's thoughtful. Then, he crouches near Juvia and uses his two fingers to tilt her chin so their eyes lock. "Because you're just like me. I saw it when you first came in. You hate this world just like me."

Juvia's stunned. She wants to protest but he's right. The world made her an orphan, made her go hungry, left her with nothing. What does she owe the world?

"Even if Juvia does hate the world, what does it matter," she asks.

Gray gets back up and laughs. "The world's a harsh mistress, crueler than any demon, more indifferent than any god."

"This world has hurt Gray-sama, hasn't it?" The question leaves her lips before she realizes it.

Gray's façade drops. Juvia can't identify the emotion swimming in his eyes.

"Supper will be ready soon," he snaps, turning heel with today's kill and leaves.

Juvia's stunned. She picked at an open wound. She watches Gray-sama's retreating figure, ashamed of herself.

* * *

After that day, Gray-sama acted cold towards her. He would only speak when Juvia spoke to him and only in clipped monosyllables. She was still free to move about the palace and surrounding lands but he wouldn't come visit her. The azurette feels oddly bereft of his presence, especially when this treatment lasts longer than a week. Juvia wants to apologize but Gray never stayed long enough for her to do so. Juvia started to worry that he might actually kill her. It left her unable to sleep.

Juvia's sleepless night lead her to exploring the palace this night. The evening chill no longer bothered her. It is quiet save for her footsteps. The azurette feels nervous about traversing the palace because things between her and Gray have changed. Still, her feet move on their own and she finds herself in the throne room. Without torchlight, it is more terrifying.

As Juvia's eyes adjust to the dark, she sees something on the throne. It takes her a moment before she realizes that it is Gray. He looks so small, curled in a ball, not the commanding figure he normally is.

Unthinking, Juvia walks towards him. Gray either doesn't notice or doesn't care. As she gets closer, the azurette thinks she can hear sniffles.

"Gray-sama." His name escapes her lips.

Gray's head shoots up and they stare at each other. Juvia's eyes widen when she notices that his cheeks are wet.

The demon is furious, a look diminished because of his tear-stained cheeks. "What are you doing here? Go away." His voice quavers.

"Is Gray-sama okay?" Juvia hesitantly reaches a hand towards him.

Gray creates an ice sword and swipes at her. Juvia isn't deterred and steps forward.

"GO AWAY," he yells and throws the sword feebly at her. It misses and he curls up further.

Juvia feet can't stop and she eventually reaches the throne.

Gray has never looked so broken. Juvia takes a page out of his playbook and uses her fingertips and tilts his head so they lock eyes. "Is this because of that time at the lake? Because Juvia said the world hurt Gray-sama?"

Gray says nothing.

"Juvia is sorry for speaking out of turn," she apologizes.

There is a suffocating silence. Juvia feels she went too far. He could kill her from here. And yet…

"I was once human," he whispers.

Somehow, Juvia isn't surprised by this.

"Long ago, I was human." Juvia watches him bite his lip. "I was nothing special, ordinary, living with my parents."

Pause

"Until they were murdered." The air leaves the room and Juvia can't breathe. "Random and dispassionate. Simple as that."

"Gray-sama," Juvia whimpers.

"I hated my parents' murderers from the bottom of my heart," he spits acidly. "They were good people and I wanted vengeance. Somehow, I found them. With sword in hand, I attempted to kill them. But I was no match for them."

"Does that mean…." Juvia didn't want to finish that thought.

"As my blood spilt to the ground, I prayed for revenge." He stops and rubs his face with his sleeve. "And that's when I heard it, or maybe I imagined it. _Son of man, thou who desireth vengeance, pledge thy immortal soul to me. Freeze thine heart and smite those who hath wronged you._ At that moment, I wanted nothing more than revenge. I agreed."

Gray holds up his blackened hand and raises his index finger. "I woke up and this greeted me. With this, I could make ice from my hands, mold it to create weapons. My parents' murderers stood no chance."

Juvia feels her cheeks getting wet as tears stream down her face.

"Power is addictive," Gray-sama admits. "I remember wanting to kill others like my parents' murderers. I could become a spirit of vengeance. Life after life was snuffed out. And as I did, my hand became blacker until…." He makes a vague motion with his hand towards his body. "At first, it was easy to hide with gloves and cloaks but eventually, people found out. A mob was formed to try and kill me. They did their best but unfortunately for them and me, I can't die."

"Gray-sama…"

"So I came here." Gray sighs. "I created this palace and prepared to be by myself forever. And I would chase away trespassers."

Juvia hesitates a bit before she asks. "And Auswählen?"

Gray snorts. "Years later, that idiot Natsu came on my lands. I was ready to scare him away but he fought me with his fire. I couldn't kill him and he couldn't kill me. Someone must have seen us. I guess that's how that came to be. People are fools. Winter and summer are out of our control."

It's now obvious that Auswählen was built on a lie. All of the girls ripped from their families, lives destroyed, it meant nothing.

"Do you know the worst part? He pauses. "I don't even remember their faces or names."

Gray is stopped by Juvia's arms wrapping around his body. He's shocked at the bodily contact and the wet stains she is leaving on his collar.

"Juvia…wha…"

The azurette doesn't answer. Her muffled sobs reverberate within Gray's soul. He doesn't understand why she is so affected by this.

"You suffered so much." Her voice is still muffled but Gray can hear her. "It isn't fair."

He is speechless.

"The world has been so unkind to Gray-sama. Juvia understands. It has been unkind to her as well." She sniffles before continuing. "And yet, Gray-sama showed Juvia kindness by letting her stay. He's kept her fed. He's given Juvia freedom. Gray-sama has a kind heart despite the hardships he endured."

"I…I'm not," he tries to protest.

Juvia doesn't let him renege and grabs his hands with her own. Despite his coldness, Gray's hands are warm. "Juvia is grateful for the kindness Gray-sama has shown her. One day, she would like to repay his kindness."

A physical jolt passes through their hands. It barely registers to either of them. Gray is drawn more by this woman who offers him understanding. In his long life, he never thought he would meet a kindred spirit.

All he can say is "Thank you."

Juvia gives a wobbly smile. "It is Juvia who must thank Gray-sama. She is so grateful for Auswählen. It's thanks to that she got to meet Gray-sama."

Gray's onyx eyes widen. And, it's probably his imagination but his cheeks are hot. "G…go back to sleep," he stammers. "I'll be fine."

Juvia nods and heads to her room when she feels a slight pain in her chest. She doubles over but recovers and goes to bed.

* * *

The pain doesn't go away but Juvia and Gray-sama are finally back into their routine of her sewing by the lake and him finding her and handing her wool or feathers. The two of them would share stories about their lives prior to meeting. At the supper table, he would brush his fingers against hers "_accidentally_". The mood at the table is significantly brighter. And strangely enough, the blackness on Gray-sama's face and neck disappeared. Juvia would be ecstatic if it weren't for the pain flareups in her chest. They are becoming more frequent. On the third day, Juvia undoes her dress. What she finds is terrifying.

A blackness near her bellybutton, similar to Gray's. To her horror, it is spreading. When she touches it, Juvia nearly seizes in pain, coughing up blood.

Fear clutches her.

"Juvia's dying." She murmurs.

It's a simple declaration but it carries so much weight. If this happened before Auswählen, Juvia wouldn't care so much. But now, she has something to lose.

"Gray-sama."

Saying his name makes tears well in her eyes. Juvia has never felt anything close to what she feels for him. It has only been a month but the azurette feels like she has known Gray all her life. She wonders how long she has. _It's unfair_, she thinks, as another cough rips out of her small body.

Juvia says nothing about the blackness spreading across her body. She still sits by the lake but finds it harder to focus on her sewing when an intense stabbing pain radiates throughout her body, causing her to weep and collapse.

"What's wrong?"

Juvia can barely hear the voice of concern through the pain as Gray kneels by her side.

"Juvia, speak to me." He's frantic, trying to get her to talk. But Juvia only clutches her stomach.

Gray wastes no time and rips apart Juvia's dress along the stomach area and gasps.

"When did this happen," he asks.

Juvia can't answer as another cough rips through her.

"Please don't tell me it was after that night?"

Juvia opens her eyes and sees onyx orbs staring down at her with worry.

"I felt strange afterwards, lighter," he mutters to himself more than Juvia. "When I looked at my face, some of my blackness was gone. It was strange." He grabs her hands. She's getting cold. "When you said something about repaying me, I don't know how but you took some of my curse away."

Juvia smiles.

"Why are you smiling," he yells in frustration. "You're dying. My curse is not meant for mortals. It's killing you."

"But some of Gray-sama's curse is lifted. It makes Juvia happy that she can finally repay Gray-sama's kindness." Her voice gets weaker by the second.

Gray wants to yell at her, tell her that she shouldn't have to die to repay him, but it dies in his throat.

"It's okay, Gray-sama." Her words are accentuated by coughs. "Juvia would have had a terrible life if it wasn't for Auswählen. At least she finally met a kind person in this world before then."

"NO. YOU DON'T GET TO DIE," he commands futilely. "You're my sacrifice. Your life belongs to me."

"Gray-sama…" Her eyes get heavy.

"I can't lose you." His admission stuns Juvia. Gray-sama leans in and places his lips on hers

Juvia cries when he kisses her. Until this kiss, she had no idea why she felt these bubbling feelings around him. Now she knows; knowledge is cruel. The azurette knows he'll blame himself for this.

"Gray-sama cannot lose Juvia because Juvia will live on within you, Gray-sama." The light is fading in her eyes. "That is why… there is no reason to be sad… because Juvia's life will always and forever belong to you."

Gray screams in agony, holding her in his arms.

"Open your eyes. PLEASE! JUVIA!"

Gray doesn't want to move, even as the sun sets. Yet, he knows he must. With great reverence, he places her into the lake and freezes her body. With his magic, he forces her down to the bottom of the lake and freezes it entirely. Gray leaves her there and returns back to his palace.

* * *

_The year's winter is brutal. Intense cold and snow blanket the country. There is widespread famine. A plague rips through the populace, killing tens of thousands. It is said that the demon so disliked the sacrifice that he bombarded the good people with his icy hatred. They prayed for salvation but found no succor. The name Juvia will never to be given to anyone ever again and her village was to be stamped out of memory, its people removed, and the land salted._

Gray comes to the lake every day during the winter. Most of the time, he's alone and talks as if she is listening. Sometimes, he says nothing and leaves bundles of wool. He has tried to end his life many times to join her but he can't. He is immortal, a curse for desiring vengeance. When Natsu visited, he begged for death but there was nothing the god could do.

Spring is late this year but eventually, snow and ice melt and the planting season begins.

Gray once again goes to the lake with a bundle of wool to add to the pile he made during the winter. The top ice is melting when a loud rumbling comes from the top ice and it shatters. Gray is startled, trying to identify the source when a hand reaches out from the water. He really can't believe what he's seeing. Then, another hand. He wastes no time and runs across the shattering ice to grab and pull them, revealing a face he thought he would never see again.

"JUVIA!"

She is back. He has no idea how but it doesn't matter.

"Gray-sama." She coughs up water as she is lifted by his strong arms.

"I don't understand…" Then he sees it. The blackness has spread from her stomach to her shoulder blade, matching his blackness in size and shape.

"Juvia thinks that she's like you now."

That didn't sit right with Gray. She shouldn't be like him.

"Juvia…."

She smiles. "It's okay. If staying with Gray-sama means carrying half his burden forever, Juvia will do it happily. After all, her life belongs to Gray-sama."

Gray is stunned by such a declaration but he embraces Juvia nonetheless, an embrace she returns.

There is a legend passed down in Atramixia of the demon of winter, the enemy of all good people. He causes crops to fail, men to die, and women to be barren. The people placate him with a sacrifice of a young woman so that he may ravage her and leave them be. One year, a girl named Juvia was selected in Auswählen. The good people didn't know of her impurities when they sent her off as that year's sacrifice. Instead of being killed like all the others, she sold her soul to save herself and caused all of the good people to suffer in her place. The demon transformed her into his dread queen and the two now terrorize the good people. Some people swear that they see glimpses of the Dread Queen whenever a woman miscarries. They wear amulets that they believe grant them protection against her.

And now, she sits at his right hand in the demon's ice palace. Juvia of Lockser, the demon's bride and wife, she who hated the world, is immortalized in legend with her husband, the demon of winter. And they are a scourge to all the children of men.

* * *

Word Count: 9,195

**And that's the end of the story.**

**So Gray's demon form is based off of his Avatar design. Juvia and Lucy's designs came through the help of locjuvia and guishia's amazing sense of aesthetics (something I severly lack).**

**So, liked it? Hated it? Have no opinion one way or the other? Leave me a review. I'd love to hear from you.**

**Until next time**

**A. Angel**


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